Peace House
by magical m
Summary: A miscommunication with an alien race gets JC a little 'marriage therapy.'


Peace House

Author: magicalm

Rating: T for 'mature' subject matter.

Summary: A miscommunication with an alien race gets J/C a little 'marriage therapy.'

Credits: Thank you, Jadie for the beta.

Disclaimer: Hey, Paramount thanks for the terrific toys! (The characters are theirs, silly story is mine.)

* * *

Kathryn furiously ripped a loose panel off the outside of the crashed shuttle. 

"Hey…hey! Let me give you a hand with that."

Kathryn spun around to face him. "You've been a big enough help already! Thanks very much."

"So I'm being given credit for this?" Chakotay's hand waved toward the crashed shuttle.

"Yes," Kathryn hissed and returned to her volatile examination of the shuttle exterior.

"Uh, excuse me, Captain. You volunteered to help the Troshu with the planet's environmental controls, and you flooded the shuttle's power relays with the environmental net. I suggested we go and bring back Voyager for the job."

"I told you that would cost us too much time."

"I know. But apparently, now so will trying to pilot the planet's turbulent stratosphere without power."

Kathryn glared at Chakotay and started to storm around to the other side of the shuttle.

Hearing a noise in the brush, Chakotay quickly closed the space between them, pushed Kathryn between the shuttle wall and his protective body, and pulled her into a squatting position. "Shh! We are being watched."

Kathryn looked up at him and the anger in her countenance quickly turned to trust. Tucked under his arm, Kathryn listened and peered out at the long grasses and trees. Soon a crowd of indigenous people surrounded them. Chakotay slowly rose and Kathryn followed.

The dozen or so people wore simple outfits in solid primary colors. The cut of the clothing appeared functional and comfortable and they also wore ornate jewelry. They carried various tools. Their overall appearance was more curious than threatening.

A man, possibly a leader of sorts, approached them and spoke sympathetically to Chakotay. "Your woman has much bad energy. Too much stress."

The man looked at Kathryn, again. He was elderly and thin but appeared very healthy. His face was weathered in away that showed many lines etched from many years of smiling. His eyes sparkled as he considered the couple before him.

Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged a puzzled look. The universal translator supplied the words but didn't always help clarify their meaning. Chakotay replied, "Yes. We need help."

"We can help."

Kathryn jumped in. "Can you help us fix the shuttle? Do you know where I…"

He pointed to her and his eyes flickered with a hint of humor. "We help you. You need to let go of stress."

"What I need is to contact my ship, to contact my people." Kathryn clenched her teeth and placed her knuckles on her hips.

"You will take bad energy back to your people? No. We help you, then you contact your people." He addressed Chakotay with a hint of disapproval. "Your woman has many years of stress in her."

Chakotay frowned and spoke to Kathryn. "I don't know how to argue with that. Maybe we should find out what he's offering."

Still annoyed, Kathryn shook Chakotay's hand off her shoulder. "I don't like the way he keeps calling me 'your woman' and I'd rather get back to repairing the comm system."

Chakotay glanced back at the crowd and could see they disapproved of her stress filled response. He spoke calmly and quietly. "Kathryn, like it or not we are in a first contact situation with a pre-warp civilization. You need to calm down and think this through."

The man, who spoke for the crowd, questioned Janeway. "He is your man? Yes?"

Kathryn paused for a moment. How was she to explain the nature of their relationship to these people, and why was it important? "We are together, yes. We travel together and work together. We are friends."

"You are together?" The man smiled. "Then you are his woman."

Rolling her eyes at Chakotay, Kathryn asked, "Do you understand the point of this conversation?"

He shrugged. "Probably won't hurt to leave it like that."

"Fine! I am his woman. But I prefer to be called, 'Kathryn, Kathryn Janeway.'" She tried to speak calmly but to the peaceful onlookers, Kathryn was a spectacle of fury. Pointing at the wreck, she added, "This is our shuttle. I need to fix this shuttle." She turned to go back to the panel she tore off.

A murmur went through the crowd. The man whistled. "You need help. You must come. We have a place for you to stay."

Kathryn turned around and put her hands on her hips. "Look!"

The man waved a hand in front of her, and pinched what looked like a bead under her nose, and Kathryn collapsed.

Chakotay caught her. "What did you do?"

"Help her relax. Come."

Chakotay was worried. He thought of the phasers inside the shuttle but decided it was better not to resist them. Despite Kathryn's short fuse, Voyager was on its way. If they could peacefully ride this out then everything would be fine. Besides, Kathryn might need an antidote, so killing the man who caused her to collapse would be counterproductive.

They wanted to help carry Kathryn, but Chakotay refused all assistance. He walked with the people to their village.

Children who were playing and people who were about their business stopped to watch the crowd bringing in the newcomers.

The village stood at the base of a hill and on top of that hill was a round white building with a small violet dome on the top of its roof.

The man gestured to the house and then pointed to two women coming to attend them. "Let them take your woman to the peace house and then you can go to her."

With some reluctance, and after a promise that it'd only be a few minutes, he allowed them to take Kathryn. Chakotay was then given a white garment and instructed to change in a small shelter at the bottom of the steps.

He came out of the shelter wearing a white garment that wrapped and tied around his waist and hung to just above his knees.

The elderly man smiled. "Go to your woman. You will see this is good."

The man bowed and he and the crowd backed away.

Chakotay was left alone to go up the stairs. When he reached the top, he opened the door and entered the house.

The door disappeared behind him. He turned around and felt the wall and found no seam for the door. Looking around the room, he saw Kathryn lying on a large round bed like structure in the center of the room. Half the circular wall had a shelf covered with an assortment of food, drinks, lotions, and oils. The shelf stopped where the bathroom began. A large tub sat out in the open, but the toilet and shower area were located behind a small wall.

He walked over to Kathryn and checked her pulse and breathing. Both were fine. He took time to note her change of clothing. She had also been given a white garment, but hers wrapped around and tied under her arms and also covered her to her knees.

Since it was the only piece of furniture in the room, he sat down on the edge of the bed. The top four inches of the mattress appeared to be made out of some sort of gel and was very comfortable. Chakotay's anthropological mind hypothesized that they were perfectly safe. None-the-less, he questioned his decision to not go for the phaser. He wondered which would've been worse shooting a few people and holding them off 'til Voyager came or dealing with Kathryn when she woke up here?

* * *

Kathryn stirred. "Where am I?" She asked sleepily. 

"It's called a peace house."

"A what?" She propped herself on her elbows.

"They called it a peace house and brought you here to relax."

She looked around. "Where is the door?"

"It disappeared."

Kathryn got up and walked around the circle, feeling the walls. "Disappeared?"

"That's right. I'm sure a tricorder would reveal it, but we don't have one."

Kathryn looked around the room. "So, they took our comm-badges and our clothes, and now we are prisoners here?"

Chakotay stood up. "Actually, I think they prefer to see us as guests."

"Guests!"

"Yes, guests that they're helping." Chakotay folded his bare arms over his bare chest.

Kathryn looked him up and down and said, "I see." She looked around the room again and back at Chakotay. "Helping? How is this helping?"

Chakotay tried to speak as if merely reporting cultural observations to the captain. "The man who greeted us was concerned about your anger and stress, and he said he wanted to help you. He also asked if we were together. Given the circumstances, I'm guessing that the word the universal translator used for together means in a monogamous relationship."

"So they stuck us here?"

"The crowd did look pretty bothered by your stress and our argument, I'm guessing our hosts decided to prescribe some sort of marital therapy."

"Marital therapy?" Kathryn looked ill. "So we are stuck here. For how long?"

"Until Voyager comes for us or until they figure our time is up."

"Or until I find away out of this damned cage!"

* * *

The senior staff were seated around the conference table while Tuvok apprised them of the situation. 

"The captain and commander's shuttle went down on the small continent in the southern hemisphere. The Troshu said the area is populated by the Soog. They are a prewarp society but are a uniquely advanced and peaceful civilization. They are highly developed in the area of organic sciences and are a strictly monogamous society. The Soog take a mate for life and find in that union, healing properties."

Kim piped up. "Tuvok, their mating practices are very interesting, but how is that relevant to the captain and commander?"

"The Troshu have communicated with the Soog and have found the location of the shuttle. However, according to the Soog, the shuttle belonged to a married couple who needed to 'make peace' so they are currently unavailable."

Tom asked, "Married? How'd they get that?"

"How the misunderstanding came about is not nearly as problematic as the resulting expectations."

"Which are?" B'Elanna asked.

Tuvok hesitated. "Doctor if you will?"

"The Soog said there were medical concerns, that the captain needed medical assistance. I've had contact with the 'medicine man' that prescribed the aid."

"Is the captain alright?" Neelix sounded genuinely worried.

"The captain is fine. At least by our standards, she's perfectly normal. But the Soog are an extremely peaceful people and view anger, impatience, and hostility as states that require 'treatment.'"

"So they are treating the captain?" Harry asked.

"They are trying, too."

Tom made a face at the slow debriefing and gestured with his hand that the Doctor should just spill it. "With what?"

"They are attempting to treat the captain with Commander Chakotay."

Various coughing sounds rippled through the room.

"What?" B'Elanna exclaimed.

The Doctor spelled it out. "As Tuvok said, there was a misunderstanding. The Soog believe they're married, and the Soog believe the sexual union between husband and wife has profound healing powers. So, they've put them in a 'peace house.' In the Soog culture, since they mate for life, the highest emphasis is put on strong emotional and physical bonds. Where couples are having relational difficulties, their life responsibilities are assumed by others, and they are put in the 'peace house.' Even their food is supplied for them until they are at 'peace.'"

"So what are we going to do?" Harry asked.

"I know!" Tom said, "You can send me and B'Elanna down, and we'll be a distraction for the Soog, while you work on getting the captain and commander out."

"Lt. Paris, this is hardly the time for jokes," Tuvok replied.

"Who's joking?"

Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "Since I have little confidence in your joint ability to be at 'peace' -as I presently understand the word- I think it would be unwise to risk losing you both."

Tom leaned back, grinning. "You can't blame a guy for trying."

Tuvok ignore Tom and continued, "This is a pre-warp civilization therefore we must not forget that the prime directive applies. For the present time, we will do nothing until we have a better understanding of their culture and language. The Troshu are providing us with cultural data on the Soog. Seven and Ensign Kim, I'd like you to study it. The Doctor and I will go over the language files. Lt. Torres run sensor sweeps of the southern continent and learn what you can about their technologies. Mr. Paris, you can supervise the retrieval of the shuttle. If it is safe to do so, we will explain that there has been a mistake and that they are not married."

* * *

Mimicking Chakotay's words, Kathryn said, "'It probably won't hurt to leave it like that.' I sure won't make that mistake again. Letting them think we're married!" She sat on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed and arms folded. 

Chakotay stood across from her leaning against the shelf. "I'm sorry. I assure you, I had no idea they had this in mind. I take full responsibility for that error in judgment." He thought but did not say, 'But not the shuttle crash.'

Kathryn rolled her eyes and tapped her fingers on her folded arm. "Well clearly, there's no way out of here."

"It can't be that bad, Kathryn." Chakotay was irritated with her for not wanting to be there with him, but he did his best to conceal it. "Look, why don't you just do your best to forget what this room is so obviously intended for and just relax."

Kathryn looked around the room. "It's a little hard to ignore."

"Yes, but we both know how you feel about …that… so forget it. We are in a warm comfortable environment where all our needs have been provided for. Relax, have a bath or a bite to eat, just please try to calm down."

It was tempting. Kathryn stared at the large inviting tub. "But... it lacks privacy."

Chakotay cracked a smile. "I'd offer to hang a towel but I only have one."

Kathryn grinned back. "Thank you Commander, but that won't be necessary."

"I can sit on the opposite side of this circle here and face that wall. It's been along time since you've chatted with me from your bathtub, but it's not like you haven't done it before."

Kathryn walked over to the tub, and handled a few bottles on the shelf next to it. She smelled one of the oils and it was heavenly.

"I promise I won't peek."

She sighed. "I know you, Chakotay, but what if our hosts or Voyager come for us?"

Chakotay looked her up and down and shrugged. "If you use lots of bubbles, you'll be as covered as you are now."

She shot him a look and reached for the hot tap. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Chakotay gave her a two-dimpled grin and turned to the spread of delicacies. He filled a plate to munch on while he watched the wall.

* * *

Tuvok and the Doctor beamed down to the village and delicately questioned the Soog medicine man. They determined that the 'peace house' was not only medicinal but had deep spiritual significance among the Soog people. 

"Has anyone who is not married been in the 'peace house'?"

"No! No! That would defile the peace."

Tuvok and the Doctor exchanged an uneasy glance. The Doctor asked, "What if there was some sort of mistake, a misunderstanding, and a couple who were not married were put in the 'peace house'? What would happen to the couple?"

"It has never happened. I do not understand the question."

Tuvok tried to explain. "The couple in there now, how did you conclude that they were married?"

The man smiled as he remembered. "Only a wife hollers at a man like he is her dog and then tucks under his arm, like she is his little birdie, when she is startled."

The Doctor muttered, "Clearly he has not seen Captain Janeway up against the Borg."

Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "We need to know precisely how you determined they are a married couple. Please explain your metaphor."

"They wear matching colors. They know each other well. She yells at him like a woman yells at her husband, and she trusts him as a woman trusts her husband. But still I asked and they said it was so."

"They told you they were married?"

"You say married. We say together. I asked and she said, 'we are together.' She said her name, 'Kathryn, Kathryn Janeway' and said she is his woman. It is good. Now they are married. No mistake."

Tuvok and the Doctor returned to the ship.

They shared their findings with Seven and Harry. Harry paled as he heard Tuvok's account.

"Uh, Tuvok, you better see this." Harry pulled up the data file that outlined the laws of a Soog marriage ceremony. "You see, the woman must state her full name and desire to be together with a man in the presence of seven witnesses. The medicine man is said to have the ability to confirm perfect mates, and if he believes it is 'good,' he leads them to the peace house. So if they weren't married before, your medicine man isn't concerned because he figures he's married them now."

"Fascinating."

"So what are we going to do? We can't leave them there."

"We may have to, Ensign. The prime directive does apply here and they are in no danger. According to this marriage ceremony when should we expect their release?"

Seven answered. "When the roof turns red."

"Explain?"

"The peace house is a sophisticated piece of technology. It is designed to provide maximum comfort and privacy. However, the overseers of it needed a way to monitor the occupants, so they developed a sensor system that gives a spectral reading on the roof. The dome on the top of the house changes color with the emotional and physical state of the occupants."

"What is the present color?"

Kim reported, "It has been violet for 16 hours, sir."

* * *

Kathryn relaxed in her bath and Chakotay watched the violet skylight. It appeared to be turning blue. He tasted a small dessert and moaned at the luxurious flavor. "Mmmm. You are going to love this. It tastes like coffee, chocolate, and mmmm, I can't name that third flavor." 

"Well bring it here."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I'm watching the wall."

"You have something that tastes like coffee?"

"Mmmm. Yep, and chocolate."

"Then bring it here. Don't make me make it an order, Commander."

He laughed. "I think it been a standing order on Voyager for four years. Surrender all coffee like substances to the captain."

He picked up the plate of delicacies and brought it to her bath. Kathryn took a bite and Chakotay watched the dome turn a brighter blue.

* * *

Tuvok, Harry, Seven, and the Doctor studied all that was known about the peace house and its technology. 

"Then they should copulate," Seven concluded.

"It is the logical means of leaving the peace house," Tuvok added.

The Doctor, engrossed in the sensor information, agreed. "I can't see any other way for the sensors to get the levels of endorphins and hormones they're looking for."

Harry covered his ears. "I can't believe I'm hearing this!"

* * *

"Kathryn, I have a working theory." Chakotay knelt next to the tub and held the plate for her. 

"Mmm. Oh? What's that?"

"Somehow we are being monitored."

Kathryn looked a little alarmed. "Like being watched?"

"No. I mean our stress levels, our moods are being monitored."

"Oh." Kathryn relaxed in the tub. "Why do you think that?"

"See that dome up there. It has been changing color since you got in the tub. It was a dark violet."

"Yes, it was and now it is a very pretty blue."

"So how do we test the hypothesis?"

"I'd say we'd need to change our mood."

Chakotay grinned. "Which way do you want to go?"

"This feels very good and if I'm peaceful enough, they might let us out."

"Can I get you something?"

"Sure, go see what they've got over there."

Chakotay tasted the wine and poured a glass. "You will like this."

And she did.

* * *

Word got out and Tom soon found himself taking bets on the colors of the rainbow. Replicator rations were exchanged on how long to each color, and how long they'd stay at each color. 

B'Elanna sat down beside Tom in the mess hall. "It's green," she said excitedly.

Harry was also green. "Haven't you found away to transport them out of there?"

B'Elanna picked up her mug. "Not yet, but remember that Tuvok doesn't want to break the prime directive. It's a spiritual ceremony. If we interfere, it could forever affect their view of all off-worlders."

She drank her coffee and looked over Tom shoulder at the betting PADD. "No, no. I want to move up my bet by two hours."

Neelix stood by their table and enthusiastically stated his bet as if he were at the races. "I'm betting they'll move quickly to yellow, and stay there a while, about six hours. Then they'll blow past orange and go straight on to red."

Harry swallowed hard. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Tom guffawed. "Come on, Harry! We are all adults here."

Harry rose from the betting table and answered back, "Are we?"

* * *

Kathryn had gotten out of the tub. She was draped in her white gown again and lying on her back on the bed talking. That wine, or whatever it was and only one glass of it, really got her talking. 

She said, "So what makes you so sure that my feelings are the same as the last time we 'defined parameters'?"

"You mean they aren't?" Chakotay propped himself on his elbows beside her.

"I didn't say that. I said, 'why do you think they are?'"

He grinned.

"Oh look!" She pointed to the dome. "Was it you or me that made it yellow?"

He watched her face instead of the dome. "That depends on how you look at it."

* * *

Neelix guessed right, the color stayed at yellow for several hours. The number of ship's departments that were suddenly reporting to the con irritated Tuvok. After hours, the crew hung out in the mess hall instead of retiring to their quarters. And Harry wanted off of the ship. 

Seven called on Harry in his quarters.

"Come" he said to the door chime. "Uh, Seven… I wasn't expecting you."

"I wanted to ask you some questions regarding the captain and commander's copulation."

Harry swallowed hard and backed up a step. "Uh… Seven, I don't know."

"Clearly it's distasteful to you, but it's a source of excitement for the rest of the crew. These reactions are peculiar to me. The command team's present delay is inefficient and holding the ship back from its purpose, but even Tuvok does not appear bothered by that."

"Um, Seven, it's about more than efficiency."

"Human sexuality does not need to be efficient?"

He blushed. "That depends on what you mean by efficient."

"Explain," she demanded.

"By efficient you seem to be implying fast and that's not good."

Seven cocked an eyebrow.

Harry tried to cover all his bases. "At least not all the time. Uh… I mean… forget it."

Seven did not move.

Regaining his composure, Harry tried again. "I didn't say efficiency isn't important. I said it's about more than efficiency."

Harry sat down and said, "Please, sit down."

"I prefer to stand."

"I know."

She tilted her head sideways. "You'd prefer I sit down."

"Yes."

Seven sat down. "If sex is not about an efficient reproduction of the species, then what is it about?"

"It's about a couple's thoughts and feelings, too. And believe me feelings aren't efficient."

"I understand."

"You do?" Harry was surprised.

"Yes. I felt that you would be the person I most wanted to talk to about this, but I knew it would be an inefficient conversation."

"Thanks, I think."

* * *

Chakotay and Kathryn lay on the bed together and talked for hours. Then they fell silent. 

"Well, that about does it." Kathryn said.

"Yep."

"Got all the parameters defined?"

"We do. Covered all the bases."

"Then there's no reason to hold back?"

"Not anymore." Chakotay kissed her.

* * *

Again Neelix called it right. Someone had brought a portable viewscreen into the mess hall and transmitted a live view of the peace house from ops. For a few minutes the dome swirled, yellow, orange and red together, but the transition went from yellow to red and stayed red. There were hoots, applause, and some laughter as the crew watched the dome turn a brilliant red. 

But no one won the final bet because none could have guessed or imagined how long the dome would stay red. As the time passed, all were slightly aghast by the apparent intensity of the command team's interlude, and many silently slipped out of the mess hall.

When Tuvok was informed of the red status, he assembled an away team to meet the captain and commander and a security investigation into the unauthorized use of the ship's systems.

Harry's moment with Seven was interrupted when Tuvok ordered him and Tom Paris to report to the transporter room.

* * *

The newlyweds were entwined on the bed in the peace house. The white garments they were previously wearing unfolded to become sheets and covered their almost singular form. 

When they saw the door and two plush red robes materialize, they laughed so hard they cried. "Oh great! Now we can leave." Kathryn spoke through her tears.

"Do you want to?" Chakotay tried to ask seriously.

"Not a chance. Do you think they'll come looking for us?"

Chakotay's dimples danced. "I don't think so. Not as long as we can keep the indicator red."

"Good thinking! We may never get an opportunity like this again." Kathryn kissed him again.

* * *

Tom Paris and Harry Kim stood at the bottom of the hill. They sat on the steps, and then stood up and talked to the locals now and then. Next, they paced from the change room to the base of the steps. 

Harry tried not to think about why they were killing time, but it was hard not to since the medicine man had given him the captain and commander's uniforms to hold.

Tom glanced up at the red dome and let out the occasional whistle announcing his newfound respect for ole Chakotay.

At last the command team, dressed in plush red robes, came out of the peace house, and the villagers who had until that moment been going about their business, came and lined the steps. They threw flowers on the steps as Kathryn and Chakotay walked down, each with an arm around the other.

At the base of the steps, Tom hid a big smile and greeted them formally, "Captain, Commander."

He eyes grew wide as he took in how relaxed they were and how the captain's continence glowed.

"Tom. Harry," Chakotay greeted them casually.

"You should be aware, sir, that the Soog believe you just got married."

Chakotay laughed heartily. "I certainly can't argue with that!"

Kathryn's glowing cheeks flushed pink.

Tom answered, "Well then, Captain, Commander, may I be the first to offer you congratulations."

"Thank you, Tom." Kathryn spoke and her voice was softer than usual.

"And the crew has collected a supply of replicator rations as a gift for you."

"Thanks, Tom." Chakotay gave Tom a funny look, he figured something was fishy about that. "Extend our thanks to the crew."

"Yes, sir."

"Uh…" Harry stammered, "Uh… Captain, Commander, here are your clothes." He held out the folded uniforms, turned red, and stared at the ground.

"Thank you, Harry." Kathryn smiled at her poor young ensign. "I appreciate that."

They changed in the change room, and when they came out the old medicine man greeted them.

"Ah, see! You are better. It is good. Much better now, right?" He grinned widely and took Kathryn's and Chakotay's hands in his.

They both laughed and blushed. Kathryn spoke just above a whisper, "Thank you."

"You have been blessed with a mighty love, a mighty love that will overcome many obstacles and much distance. Now go to your people, Kathryn, Kathryn Janeway."

They were ready for transport when Harry said, "Wait a moment, please."

He walked over to the medicine man and asked him something. Receiving his approval he went and pick up a bouquet of flowers from the flowers that the villagers had thrown on the steps.

He returned to the beam out point and handed the bouquet to the captain. "I believe these are yours. Congratulations, ma'am."

Kathryn smiled warmly at Harry and took the bouquet.

"Oh, and Kathryn…" the old man said.

"Yes?"

He winked at her and gestured at her uniform. "Red is your color, yes?"

They dematerialized as they got what the old man was saying.

Kathryn and Chakotay stepped off of the transporter pad, and as soon as Tom thought they were out of earshot, Tom patted Harry on the shoulder and whispered, "Don't worry Harry, yours is definitely yellow."

Harry gave him a disgusted look.

Tom shrugged. "Then again, maybe it's green."

Chakotay chuckled and said, before the doors closed behind him and the captain, "Nothin' to be ashamed of Harry; green and yellow was pretty good, too."

They set a course for home and Tuvok put an end to the investigation when he heard that the 'betting' rations were given to the captain and commander as a wedding gift.

* * *

For hundreds of years the Soog told the story of the angry off-worlder woman who crashed on their planet with her man. And of the wise medicine man that saw the need for them to be matched. And of the remarkable love that made the peace house shine a brighter red and for a longer time than it ever had, either before or after. 


End file.
